Jeff Beck still has it, and isn't shy about showing it

Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck, during an April performance in York, Pa.

Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck, during an April performance in York, Pa.

(Owen Sweeney)

Bob GendronChicago Tribune

Jeff Beck still has it, and isn't afraid to show it

A few minutes into his concert Thursday at Chicago Theatre, Jeff Beck stood back to let the key members of his band take brief solo turns and demonstrate their skills. The gesture served as the legendary guitarist's way of stating the show wasn't just about him, and that the performance would be a team effort.

While Beck's mates contributed to the whole by maintaining a strong rapport with the headliner throughout the 100-minute set, they knew their role in the same manner veteran supporting actors realize their place next to the lead. Beck's modesty and near-speechless presence aside, he commanded full attention on every song via a lyrical virtuosity that found him creating innovative languages each time his fingers touched his Stratocaster's strings. Cool and composed, the British native made even the most complex feats look ridiculously easy.

Now 70, the critically acclaimed guitarist seldom tours with regularity, yet continues to take risks and explore possibilities — including often changing the lineup of his band to inject fresh energy. Fellow former Yardbirds Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton might enjoy more name recognition, but as they spent the past few decades resting on laurels, Beck kept busy pursuing novel methods to fuse disparate styles, extract new sounds from a familiar instrument and approach standards from a blank-slate perspective.

Utilizing his right hand with surgical precision, Beck altered volume, pitch and tone on the fly — no effects pedals or pick needed. He strung notes into articulate narratives that didn't require words to be understood, and told poignant stories through the music of the Beatles ("A Day In the Life"), Syreeta Wright ("Cause We've Ended As Lovers") and Nitin Sawhney ("Nadia"). Smoothness and control allowed Beck unfettered freedom. He balanced delicate finesse with powerhouse might, traversing a variety of moods and genres. Whether exchanging intricate passages with guitarist Nicolas Meier on the Middle Eastern-flavored "Yemin (The Pledge)" or flirting with heavy metal during "Loaded," he avoided excess.

The same couldn't be said for singer Jimmy Hall. Joining the quartet for several songs, the Wet Willie frontman lent credible juke-joint accents to covers of Lonnie Mack's "Lonnie on the Move" and the Delta classic "Rollin' and Tumblin'." But he filled Sam Cooke's civil-rights anthem "A Change Is Gonna Come" with faux preaching and overblown vocals, and was equally overbearing on "Morning Dew." Better off without the impersonating distractions, next time Beck should leave Hall to the touristy blues clubs.